Sgt Hancock is a 35 year old activated Marine reservist and Texas police officer

Marine sniper credited with longest confirmed kill in Iraq
Submitted by: 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Story Identification #: 200512134758
Story by Cpl. Paul W. Leicht



AR RAMADI, Iraq (Jan. 02, 2005) -- Seen through a twenty-power spot scope, terrorists scrambled to deliver another mortar round into the tube. Across the Euphrates River from a concealed rooftop, the Marine sniper breathed gently and then squeezed a few pounds of pressure to the delicate trigger of the M40A3 sniper rifle in his grasp.

The rifle's crack froze the booming Fallujah battle like a photograph. As he moved the bolt back to load another round of 7.62mm ammunition, the sniper's spotter confirmed the terrorist went down from the shot mere seconds before the next crack of the rifle dropped another.

It wasn't the sniper's first kill in Iraq, but it was one for the history books.

On Nov. 11, 2004, while coalition forces fought to wrest control of Fallujah from a terrorist insurgency, Marine scout snipers with Company B, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, applied their basic infantry skills and took them to a higher level.

"From the information we have, our chief scout sniper has the longest confirmed kill in Iraq so far," said Capt. Shayne McGinty, weapons platoon commander for "Bravo" Co. "In Fallujah there were some bad guys firing mortars at us and he took them out from more than 1,000 yards."

During the battle for the war-torn city, 1/23 Marine scout snipers demonstrated with patience, fearless initiative and wits that well-trained Marines could be some of the deadliest weapons in the world.

"You really don't have a threat here until it presents itself," said Sgt. Herbert B. Hancock, chief scout sniper, 1/23, and a 35-year-old police officer from Bryan, Texas, whose specialized training and skill helped save the lives of his fellow Marines during the battle. "In Fallujah we really didn't have that problem because it seemed like everybody was shooting at us. If they fired at us we just dropped them."

Stepping off on day one of the offensive from the northern edge of the Fallujah peninsula, the Marine reservists of 1/23, with their scout snipers, moved to secure a little island, but intense enemy fire near the bridgeheads limited their advance. Insurgents littered the city, filtering in behind their positions with indirect mortar and sniper fire.

"The insurgents started figuring out what was going on and started hitting us from behind, hitting our supply lines," said Hancock in his syrupy Texas drawl. "Originally we set up near a bridge and the next day we got a call on our radio that our company command post was receiving sniper fire. We worked our way back down the peninsula trying to find the sniper, but on the way down we encountered machinegun fire and what sounded like grenade launchers or mortars from across the river."

With a fire team of grunts pinned down nearby, Hancock and his spotter, Cpl. Geoffrey L. Flowers, a May 2004 graduate of Scout Sniper School, helped them out by locating the source of the enemy fire.

"After locating the gun position we called in indirect fire to immediate suppress that position and reduced it enough so we could also punch forward and get into a house," explained Hancock. "We got in the house and started to observe the area from which the insurgents were firing at us. They hit us good for about twenty minutes and were really hammering us. Our indirect fire (landed on) them and must have been effective because they didn't shoot anymore after that."

Continuing south down the peninsula to link up with the Bravo Co. command post, Hancock and Flowers next set up on a big building, taking a couple shots across the river at some suspected enemy spotters in vehicles.

"The insurgents in the vehicles were spotting for the mortar rounds coming from across the river so we were trying to locate their positions to reduce them as well as engage the vehicles," said Hancock. "There were certain vehicles in areas where the mortars would hit. They would show up and then stop and then the mortars would start hitting us and then the vehicles would leave so we figured out that they were spotters. We took out seven of those guys in one day."

Later, back at the company command post, enemy mortar rounds once again began to impact.

"There were several incoming rockets and mortars to our compound that day and there was no way the enemy could have seen it directly, so they probably had some spotters out there," said 22-year-old Flowers who is a college student from Pearland, Texas.

" Our (company commander) told us to go find where the mortars were coming from and take them out so we went back out," remembered Hancock. "We moved south some more and linked up with the rear elements of our first platoon. Then we got up on a building and scanned across the river. We looked out of the spot scope and saw about three to five insurgents manning a 120mm mortar tube. We got the coordinates for their position and set up a fire mission. We decided that when the rounds came in that I would engage them with the sniper rifle. We got the splash and there were two standing up looking right at us. One had a black (outfit) on. I shot and he dropped. Right in front of him another got up on his knees looking to try and find out where we were so I dropped him too. After that our mortars just hammered the position, so we moved around in on them."

The subsequent fire for effect landed right on the insurgent mortar position.

"We adjusted right about fifty yards where there were two other insurgents in a small house on the other side of the position," said Flowers. "There was some brush between them and the next nearest building about 400 yards south of where they were at and we were about 1,000 yards from them so I guess they thought we could not spot them. Some grunts were nearby with binoculars but they could not see them, plus they are not trained in detailed observation the way we are. We know what to look for such as target indicators and things that are not easy to see."

Hancock and Flowers then scanned several areas that they expected fire from, but the enemy mortars had silenced.

"After we had called in indirect fire and after all the adjustments from our mortars, I got the final 8-digit grid coordinates for the enemy mortar position, looked at our own position using GPS and figured out the distance to the targets we dropped to be 1,050 yards," said Flowers with a grin. "This time we were killing terrorism from more than 1,000 yards."

Cops cant shoot.


In all seriousness, some of the USMC's best Scout Snipers are Reservists.  here's hoping they never weed them out of the reserves like they just did with EOD.

Damn. 6/10 mile. From King's Mountain to Fallujah, there's nothing like an American rifleman.

Quoted: "You really don't have a threat here until it presents itself," said Sgt. Herbert B. Hancock, chief scout sniper, 1/23, and a 35-year-old police officer from Bryan, Texas, whose specialized training and skill helped save the lives of his fellow Marines during the battle. "In Fallujah we really didn't have that problem because it seemed like everybody was shooting at us. If they fired at us we just dropped them."

Holy shit!  I think I met this guy at the academy in College Station, TX a few years ago...  He was in there picking up ammo...  Anybody know if he is on the Bryan SWAT Team?  I don't remember the guy's name I talked with, but he looked about the same, same age, and was one of the SWAT's sharpshooters.

EPOCH

He's a real Texan, no doubt about that. Bryan Texas isn't too far from me...I'd love to meet that guy!

Ben

Due to the incredible 1000 yard shot, I’ll look past the chin strap violation.  

The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle.

what is the gun? a rem 700?

Quoted: what is the gun? a rem 700?

M40A3

Hancock, Hatchcock.... Don't piss off a Marine sniper.
The training seems to work just right. His spotter got out of school in what? May?
What was the exact distance and difference in elevation (or did I miss that fact)?
Midwinter

Quoted: Due to the incredible 1000 yard shot, I’ll look past the chin strap violation.

You obviously dont have what it takes to be a CSM.  

The mix and match grenade pouches are also a serious break down of disipline and should be delt with in the most extreem manner.  

Quoted: what is the gun? a rem 700?

M40A3 is built on the Rem 700 action, but modified/improved for Marine snipers.

M24 is the Army version:
www.remingtonmilitary.com/m24sws.htm

American Rifleman did a really cool article on all these in their June 2003 issue. See if you can find it somewhere.

Weird how he wears a helmet but no body armor. I would understand not having both.

Awsome!  I'd like to know the exact distance.  

They need to start picken em off at 1400 yards with a .308, until then its only awsome.  

Quoted: Hancock, Hathcock.... Don't piss off a Marine sniper. The training seems to work just right. His spotter got out of school in what? May? What was the exact distance and difference in elevation (or did I miss that fact)? Midwinter

Fixed it for ya, snipers hate getting their name in ink just to see a typo

from a rooftop, 1,050 yards, buried obscurely in the article

Quoted: Sgt Hancock is a 35 year old activated Marine reservist and Texas police officer Marine sniper credited with longest confirmed kill in Iraq Submitted by: 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Story Identification #: 200512134758 Story by Cpl. Paul W. Leicht AR RAMADI, Iraq (Jan. 02, 2005) -- ... position, looked at our own position using GPS and figured out the distance to the targets we dropped to be 1,050 yards," said Flowers with a grin. "This time we were killing terrorism from more than 1,000 yards."

Can you post a URL link to this story please? Nevermind, I found it

Yes, a Marine and his rifle.....

Congrats to Sgt Hancock on a fine kill.

Edited...Longest  kill in Iraq

He's wearing a plate carrier. Holds the strike plate only front and rear so the bulky assed issue shit doesn't interfere with his stock weld. Only the plate is gonna stop 7.62 anyway so they would rather have the mobility. You can wear it with or without the plate installed in the pocket designed for it.

Often snipers are afforded some flexibility from the uniform/kit rules.

Very likely could have come from www.adoptasniper.org as we support that unit heavily.

Mish mash pouches and shit are standard these days. Like Rummy said ... you go with what you got.

Before 9/11 and up until the war started, he had probably seen more people in his crosshairs as a cop sniper than most had as a Marine unless they had been to Somailia, Haiti or whatnot.

Best,

BK
www.adoptasniper.org

Whacked a raghead at a cool click huh?  Kewl!  

Damn...who among us wouldn't have given their left nut to do some long range target practice like that?  

Quoted: Whacked a raghead at a cool click huh?  Kewl!   Damn...who among us wouldn't have given their left nut to do some long range target practice like that?

Especially with such challenging and reactive targets!

Doesn't say on that link where the barrel was made.

I have here in my shop an Ex-Marine (and ex-Phili cop).... and he said he is only good up to 500 yards.

1K+ yards is WOW!

Get some!

Quoted: Doesn't say on that link where the barrel was made.

Yes it does,

Caliber 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Win) Length 44.25" (1124mm) Weight 16.5 lbs (7.5 kg) Barrel Schneider Match Grade SS #7 Barrel Length 24 inches (610mm) Trigger Weight 3 to 5 pounds Magazine Capacity 5 rounds Sight Unertl 10x with Mil-Dots and BDC Stock McMillan Tactical A4 Max Effective Range 1000 yards (915 meters)

Nice shooting.  

Quoted: Hancock, Hatchcock.... Don't piss off a Marine sniper. The training seems to work just right. His spotter got out of school in what? May? What was the exact distance and difference in elevation (or did I miss that fact)? Midwinter

I noticed the similiarities in his name as well.. Odd..

That's awesome. Really, what else can you say, except that's awesome.





Link made hot since brianksain refuses to use board code, and we oughta make it as easy as possible for people to support such a fine organization.
www.adoptasniper.org

Quoted: what is the gun? a rem 700?

It is an M40A1, the A3 has a wider fore profile.

Saw an AAR report at Barrett that said an 82nd Abn sniper nailed an insurgent with an RPG at 1400m using an M107 .50

Quoted: Saw an AAR report at Barrett that said an 82nd Abn sniper nailed an insurgent with an RPG at 1400m using an M107 .50

I don't know if its the same one but I read one where some Hadji was firing out of a tower and was cut in half at about that range by a M107.


Anyways, Fine shooting by the Marine.  

Quoted: Due to the incredible 1000 yard shot, I’ll look past the chin strap violation.

Make sure when you complain about the "violation" you do it from at least 1100 yards out..............

The kids on this site that hate the police and love the military, must be having fits today.

Quoted: Quoted: Saw an AAR report at Barrett that said an 82nd Abn sniper nailed an insurgent with an RPG at 1400m using an M107 .50 I don't know if its the same one but I read one where some Hadji was firing out of a tower and was cut in half at about that range by a M107. Anyways, Fine shooting by the Marine.

That's the one. The trooper nailed him with a Mk211 Raufoss round. That had to have left a mark that won't buff out.

Holy shit! I think I met this guy at the academy in College Station, TX a few years ago... He was in there picking up ammo... Anybody know if he is on the Bryan SWAT Team? I don't remember the guy's name I talked with, but he looked about the same, same age, and was one of the SWAT's sharpshooters.

Yep, he is on the SWAT Team.  I posted a dupe of this article today mentioning he is one of my best friends best friends.  I am trying to think of something we could give him when he gets back from AR15.com.  If anyone has any good ideas let me know, I can arrange the presentation.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Saw an AAR report at Barrett that said an 82nd Abn sniper nailed an insurgent with an RPG at 1400m using an M107 .50 I don't know if its the same one but I read one where some Hadji was firing out of a tower and was cut in half at about that range by a M107. Anyways, Fine shooting by the Marine.   That's the one. The trooper nailed him with a Mk211 Raufoss round. That had to have left a mark that won't buff out.

A Raufoss round, talk about "Pink Mist".

I'd also be willing to bet our SF guys have made some pretty long hits.  I remember seeing some of the 1SFG Snipers shooting the Hard Target course.

Quoted: A Raufoss round, talk about "Pink Mist". I'd also be willing to bet our SF guys have made some pretty long hits.  I remember seeing some of the 1SFG Snipers shooting the Hard Target course.

Will the human torso set off a Raufoss round?  Does the human torso provide enough resistance to set set back the harden tip in order to set off the Comp A4.

7.62x51 + Marine Scout Sniper = no more fucking problems

Quoted: Quoted: A Raufoss round, talk about "Pink Mist". I'd also be willing to bet our SF guys have made some pretty long hits.  I remember seeing some of the 1SFG Snipers shooting the Hard Target course. Will the human torso set off a Raufoss round?  Does the human torso provide enough resistance to set set back the harden tip in order to set off the Comp A4.

That I don't know for sure, but give me a .50, a bunch of Raufoss rounds, and plenty of Hadji's to shoot at.  I do think we can come to a scientific conclusion that we can add to the Ammo-Oracle guide.

I wonder if his PD has a .50BMG rifle in their armory back home it Texas? Damn JBT!

Didn't the Canadians shoot some Talibanis at over 2,000 yards with their .50s in Operation ANACONDA?

Quoted: Doesn't say on that link where the barrel was made.

Schneider.

BK
www.adoptasniper.org

Not the longest shot either ...

BK
www.adoptasniper.org

Anaconda was not in Iraq.

1/23 is my old unit
Wooo Hoooooooooooo

I knew several guys in the Sniper Platoon

Quoted: Due to the incredible 1000 yard shot, I’ll look past the chin strap violation.

Quoted: Didn't the Canadians shoot some Talibanis at over 2,000 yards with their .50s in Operation ANACONDA?

Yeah, A Canadian scored a 2400m shot with a McMillan bolt gun in Afghanistan.

Quoted: Anaconda was not in Iraq.

neither are the Taliban

Quoted: Didn't the Canadians shoot some Talibanis at over 2,000 yards with their .50s in Operation ANACONDA?

Quoted: Not the longest shot either ... BK www.adoptasniper.org

Careful there, bud.

You're going to have to tell some secrets.

Think anyone gives him shit that his name is Herbie Hancock?

Woody